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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

When I woke up this morning I was craving protein so bad I could hardly stand it. So I had to chuck my oatmeal bowl for a little protein boost. Don't tell the Mr, I had him swing by the grocery store last night because I was out of oatmeal. Oops.

Breakfast was a "MsMuffin." Thomas Triple Health English Muffin, 1 egg, half a slice of lacy colby jack cheese and 2 slices of deli ham. Also had a banana and finished off the Nutella, just under a tbsp.

Big things always happen for the Mr and I in leap years. My experience with them for as long as I thought about it has been largely positive.

1988- Met a good amount of rock bands that year that started the "hobby" for me. (No I wasn't a filthy, whorish groupie!) That hobby got me quite a few friendships with some hair band boys back in the day and I still keep in touch with one of them and still mourn lives lost too soon.

1992- First year of dating the Mr. (We'd only made it "official" 1 week before the new year) We all know how that turned out!

1996- Married the Mr, went to Hawaii and found our passion and second home.

2000- Survived the fear mongering of Y2K and saw the turn of a century. Something to count as a positive. (But where are the silver space suits? Aren't we supposed to be driving flying cars and wearing space suits? Good God, you see how bad it is on the roads, can you imagine the anarchy in the skies!? Maybe it's better that one hasn't come to fruition.)

2004- Lost a dear family member that was the glue. In looking at positives of that horrible experience, it was the year people's true intentions were revealed and we worked on putting effort toward people who deserved our love, respect and time because life if too short to settle for less. Through pain of realizing nothing you do will ever be enough to satisfy others, you realize the only people that matter are those whose intentions are pure, free of ulterior motives and manipulation.

2008- The year we finally got our act together where weight loss was concerned and started doing something about it. There was unfortunately a gap in there of 6 months but picked it right back up and learned lessons that we've applied ever since.

2012- This year may not have started off as the juggernaut I thought it would be where weight loss is concerned but I have to believe I will find what works for us long term because if I don't...well we're not even going to think that way, are we? So here's to wishing for bigger and better things for this leap year!

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

I'm going to turn into a tea bag. I've had like 36 ounces of tea today. I will say today has been a "productive" day on the pneumonia front and that's about as far as I'll go with that. *laughing* This was the first time I could actually somewhat, kind of taste my food for longer than the first bite so I'm hopeful I can actually enjoy a high cal day this weekend. When you can't taste and the sense starts to come back, you just want to eat everything! Let's start with today's grub though, let's eat!

1/2 cup of oatmeal with 4 oz of skim milk topped with 1 tbsp of almond butter, 4 oz banana, 1/2 tbsp honey and 1/4 serving of a low fat graham cracker crumbled up on top for some crunch. Also had a cup of green tea. (Note to self, I need a new KPOA mug.)

The Mr has really been taking care of me while I've been sick. I decided I wanted to reward him with a tasty lunch Sunday so I made him a sausage and pepper panini. I lightened it up a bit but it's still quite the sodium bomb. But what this baby delivers in sodium, it also delivers big on fiber, protein and taste.

Cut the turkey into large chunks and grill along with the onions and peppers. When all have a nice bit o' char on them, turn the heat down and fire up the panini press. Spray one side of bread with cooking spray (or olive oil but this will change the nutritional content) and place oiled side down on the press. Mix both sauces together in a microwave safe bowl and add any salt free spices if desired. Heat for 30 seconds if they're cold. Layer 3 oz of sausage, onions and peppers on the bread. Ladle some of the sauce on top, you likely won't use all of the sauce unless you want an unholy mess. Top with cheese and the other slice of bread. Don't forget to spray cooking spray on top of the bread before pressing. Slightly overcook the bread so it stands up to the sauce. Slice in half and enjoy!

Monday, February 27, 2012

The past 2 days I have been ravenous! I don't know if it's some delayed reaction to the steroid I was taking and it's working its way out of my system or what but I have wanted to eat everything the past 2 days and my hunger when I'm usually just even keel has been over the top. I keep drowning the sensation with water and telling myself it's a side effect so I don't find myself at the bottom of a cereal box. I've still got 2 weeks of antibiotics left but am off the other 2 meds so I'm hoping I'll even out over the next 2 days. Also, can you please tell my fingers to stop losing weight. I just had the dang rings resized a few months ago and now my ring is starting to spin on occasion again. I'd like it to come off in my legs and gut please! Fat cells, take note!

Let's eat...

Because I woke up feeling like I could eat my hand, I had a bigger breakfast. I had an egg white and egg with black pepper (it looks like there's something in side but there's not), a cinnamon raisin english muffin with 2 tbsp of Better N' Peanut Butter (which I was totally dying for!) and a banana. I had my tea when I got up but it was gone by breakfast time...

When I surpassed the Mr weight wise, it wasn't my finest hour. When we started losing, I was losing faster than he was in the beginning then when we hit a speed bump, I gained back 15 lbs, giving up my lead. He, being a dude, of course surpassed me as I hit plateaus and the like and at one point was 44 lbs ahead of me. It amazes me how you hold your weight differently when you regain. Well, shirts that fit me fine at the weight I was at before were now fitting awkwardly as I'd have what I called "a 3x top and a 4x gut." The Mr suffered the same fate. Our stomachs just really loved to hang on to that stuff this time around. When he passed me on the weight loss, I knew he'd be able to fit into some shirts that I couldn't at the same time. I was about a size above him for most of the ride. We both have been able to get into some shirts from about 8-10 years ago that we love.

Over the weekend, I really noticed that the Mr seemed to have one of his thin outs up top where all of a sudden he looks completely different. I knew a closet clean out was inevitable. We went clothes shopping for Hawaii and knew all of our bottoms would need replaced from last years trip to San Fran and not many shirt wise because of the next ones we'd inherited from "keep bins" from years ago. I did the same and went through my closet getting rid of the last of the 3x's...hopefully never to be seen again. I tried on some 18/20's I bought at the end of last season hoping I'd be firmly in them by the time the trip rolled around. I'm pretty much there but we're washing all of our clothes to see how they fit after they've gone through the dryer. Nothing worse than getting new clothes, not washing them prior and getting to your destination and bein' all "uh say, wasn't this longer at home?"

I told him to start trying on every shirt in his closet. Man, some of my favorites were in there, namely a few Hawaii shirts from another lifetime. As he put them on and sulked that they were too big for him, I'd smile and perk up and say "oh! That's too bad!" as he threw them at my face knowing I'd just inherited some good ones. I do have to say when I bought his Life is Good shirt last year for our anniversary trip, I couldn't wait until I could fit into it. That time is now. :-) Looove me some closet shopping!

Do you keep clothes you've either outgrown or bought the next size down on sale in hopes that you'll be able to do some closet shopping as you lose weight?

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Before anyone says "that's probably because you didn't eat the same", you've seen my food journals. My food hasn't changed at all and I've actually been banned to light exercise for as long as I've got percolating lungs. I burned half of what I usually do during a week.

So that takes me to 206 lbs lost. Nope, I didn't earn my 200 lbs lost gravatar just yet. I'm not making that mistake again. I'm going to wait until next week's weigh in so I know this isn't some freak "I'm on 3 different meds this week and here's your fat back lady." I'm cautiously happy for this loss.

Still no taste so no high cal day for me. :-( Why bother eating calories I can't taste.

I'm hoping I feel a little better tomorrow so I can do a good strength workout and hopefully start integrating more than walking in next week. I'm not allowed to go back to HIIT's yet but I think maybe some Gilad and Turbo Jam and stuff that I've relegated to the back of the heap because they don't give me a good enough calorie burn.

Sigh, I just want this over with. It's like torture. But thanks for the 7 lbs, THAT I'll take!

Friday, February 24, 2012

Today was the first day it didn't feel like an anvil was firmly crushing my skull. Progress. Sadly, no sense of taste again so yeah, just have to assume my stuff was delish. Though I did have little hints of flavors where I was like "if I were blindfolded, I would assume this is chili!" Hoping for more tomorrow, fingers crossed!"

Let's eat...

I'm gonna be honest with you, I should just say "see 2/23's entry" because I ate the exact same thing as I did yesterday!

Yesterday I was dealing with the big ball of suck that is an airline merger. Nothing like paying a used car's amount of money to travel only to have them, you know, completely lose an entire leg on your trip! In my lung bubbling best, I called the airline and 90 minutes later our return leg has been reassigned. (A big up to E.E. who was a total pro the whole time and really went out of her way to make sure our schedule was as minimally impacted as possible. I made sure to say she needs a raise on the recorded call)

The one change neither the Mr or I are thrilled about is an inter-island connection that isn't first class. It's a short flight so it shouldn't be too bad but it brought back some rather unpleasant memories. One time we did an inter-island flight they ended up not being able to seat us in first class and we weren't even at our heaviest yet. (Still 400 lbs though) We missed a connection and got in late and had to check in through Honolulu and we're direct to island kinds of people. Now we had to do that walk of shame down the aisle where people don't look you in the eye, give you dirty looks or break out into a cold sweat while mouthing "please don't sit by me, please don't sit by me." We weren't even able to sit together, he was in the seat ahead of me and thankfully we were both on the aisle so we didn't have to impose ourselves on the people beside us. We're used to holding hands on take off and landings. So I quietly snuck my hand under his arm to hold onto him as we took off. I felt like I had been thrown into the ocean with no life preserver. When you're that heavy, you cling to familiarity and routine. Any wrench in that routine is met with panic and being overwhelmed. I wanted to cry. Seriously. I wanted to commiserate with him about how much being buttered into the seats and leaning to the opposite side so you didn't impose on your seatmates sucked ass while holding his hand or putting my head on his shoulder. That was the whole reason we flew/fly first class is to not get "the looks" or the judgment. But to this day hearing the phrase "coach class" sends me into cold sweats. As I chatted about this situation with the Mr yesterday he said the lady he sat beside "looked me up and down and gave me the most disgusted look I have ever received in my life. I never forgot that look." She was judging him/us like because we were that fat he didn't deserve to be treated like he deserved to breathe the same air. If you're reading this you self righteous, piece of crap witch, I hope you have been made to feel just as crappy as you made my husband feel and I wouldn't mind if all of the weight we've lost has somehow found you so that you can know that people over what you consider an ideal weight are actual human beings and have feelings. Perhaps you could consider them in the future and become a decent human being yourself.

Anyhoo...

I know we're much smaller than when that happened before but the people you pass don't know that. To them, you haven't lost 200 lbs, you're just some fat person that should "just" do ______ to lose weight. Maybe I should wear my "If you think I'm fat now you should've seen me 200 pounds ago" shirt? I would say I can't wait to get to that point where I don't remember how that feels but that's not true. I never want to forget how that felt. That there are people out there who will take one look at you and think because of your weight, you are not fit to be anywhere near them. I don't want to forget so I won't ever become as shallow, heartless and disrespectful as those people. I love that when I see someone who is morbidly obese I say a little prayer that they find their way because a better life is waiting for them. That tells me that I will never lose empathy for what it was like at my heaviest, even when I'm at goal and beyond.

Sometimes you fall in love with something that isn't available in your city. This happens to us on vacation quite a bit and when we try to replicate it at home it just doesn't cut it. So you have to go to the source. Soup is something I have pretty much cut out because the sodium is ridiculous. I just can't afford thousands of milligrams of sodium. But there is once or twice a year I make an exception. I got us a surprise when I saw a favorite bakery had a sale going on and it arrived last week. It's my bliss in a box...

I'm not a bread bowl kind of gal but I must say when it's from Boudin Bakery in San Francisco, I am all over that shizz. If I lived in the city by the bay, I would gain those 200 pounds back pounding down Kara's fleur de sel cupcakes, Paxti's Deep Dish Pizza (which puts every Chicago pizza to shame) and clam chowder mustaches after devouring this deliciousness.

Sodium gets thrown out the door when you have something this heavenly in your midst.

I was able to enjoy it last Sunday before my sense of smell took leave. Sometimes you just have to go for it and enjoy those little treats that you can't get anywhere else except when the FedEx guy begrudgingly hands over what he knows is something good. Wanna bite?

The Mr is enjoying some homemade sourdough croutons I made from the innards and I only ate half of my top. I had a picture of them but totally deleted them by mistake. Idiota. I tore them into big pieces, sprayed them with olive oil and sprinkled them with garlic powder and italian seasoning. The gift that keeps on giving.

What's your favorite food/treat that you splurge to order by mail? If you don't, what food would you order if money were no object?

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

I have found the 10th circle of hell. Sense of smell took a hike today. I am so looking forward to feeling better. The only improvement today is no fever. I walked with a fever last night only because I knew I'd be outside and it felt so good. When I get a fever I apparently get antsy. Tonight we went to the park and walked the flat, paved terrain so that I could get in some activity without "inflaming my bronchial airway." Plus it was so gorgeous out today that I couldn't be in the house anymore with the creeping death. I feel like I want to wash everything in the house. I have project materials sitting all around me asking to be worked on and I know the Mr wants the stuff out of the way but would never ask me to do anything as long as I'm not well. But I want to make the house a place he wants to come home to, not dread seeing all of the unfinished crap when he walks in the door.

But that's not why you're here...bring on the eats.

Breakfast was purely about fueling my body as I could taste nothing. The cholesterol thing is still nagging at me and despite my body revolting against oatmeal, I decided I need to add it back in and what better time than when I can't taste it? HA! So I've got 1/2 cup of quaker oats with 4 oz of skim milk, 1 tbsp of chia seeds, 1 tbsp almond butter for protein, 1/2 tbsp of honey and cinnamon for their anti-inflammatory properties and I chopped up a banana in it. Hey Jamie, this bowl is one of my Anthro purchases! :-)

We as consumers have been getting screwed on portions for quite a few years now. You know, where they push up the bottom of your hummus container in the middle to make it look like a full 8 oz when they give you six. Or when we recently discovered that the toothpaste we buy went down from 7.8 ounces to 5.8 ounces. REALLY!? Two whole ounces of cavity fighting goodness robbed out of my tube!? I get it...life is tough all around when you're trying to do tricky marketing without letting your consumer knowing you're robbing them blind. However there is something with this downsizing phenomenon that I don't understand. I don't know if any of you saw this video way back when, with BJ Novak of The Office on the Conan show with my beloved Cadbury eggs. (I want to apologize in advance for the HORRIBLE quality but it's the only one I could find. Go in to about the 1 minute 30 second mark...its okay, I'll wait. You don't even need to have sound on to get the picture.)

Alright, now I've seen Cadbury Eggs go down in size so the calories should do the same right? The old Cadbury Eggs were 150 calories. The new eggs are 170 calories. Say WHAT!? How am I getting less product for more calories!? I'm seeing the same thing with other candy bars and even our beloved Trader Joe's is getting in on the shrinking product act without shrinking the calories with our cereal bars. Can someone explain this to me? I suppose the manufacturers could be putting more sugar or something but I'll take less sugar/fillers/fairy dust for less calories in a smaller product please.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Well...this has been an interesting day. After about 45 minutes sleep total last night from gagging on my own lung sputum to the point of wondering if I would die in my sleep, I went downstairs and stayed on the couch all night. I fought a fever all night and monitored that, made green tea, coughed so violently I thought my cranium was going to shoot off. When I realized no pain reliever was helping me, I decided to call the doc. Thank God I did, I got her last appt of the day and she gave me a plethora of meds because she didn't like what she was hearing symptom wise (even though the gurgling in my lungs was trying to make a liar out of me by going away) and ordered a chest x-ray. It was later confirmed I have pneumonia. I'm on light exercise (like basically walking around.) As I type, my fever is back and I'm getting ready to go to a shopping center to walk in the open air because it feels so good on my piping hot skin. Hopefully I can burn a few calories in the process. I won't overdo, I promise.

Now after that appetizing talk, let's eat!

Breakfast was Special K Blueberry and a banana with 1 tbsp of almond butter and 1/4 tbsp of honey.

Lunch was after my appointment and running around town getting scripts filled. Tuna fish "tacos", pink lady apple and apple dip, raw veggies w/ 1/2 tbsp of dip, fruit salad and today I was craving milk so bad so I had 10 oz of skim milk. Oops, how'd that serving of light Hershey's syrup get in there? :-)

The Mr was kind enough to make me dinner. I talked him through my cheese and onion enchiladas. He did a great job! A little heavy on the onions but I am trying to kill the creeping crud so this should help fo' sho! So we had 3 of those (mini corn tortillas), a serving of no salt blue tortilla chips and 2 tbsp's of TJ's chipotle hummus. Thanks Mr! I love you!

When we get back, I'll imbibe in a skinny cow.

Calories for the day, 1927. Burned 680 walking around the outdoor mall cooling myself off and buying stuff from Anthropologie! Hee hee

I walked by an end in the meat department at the grocery store and saw a 2 pack of game hens. I couldn't remember if I'd ever made them before. I think I did way back when but for some reason just never got them again. Until the other night. I wanted a quick, easy way to prepare them that wouldn't require me to fuss over them so I turned to my crock pot. I love them so much, I have four. A one quart one, a 2 quart one for chili, a 4 quart (or is it 6?) stainless steel for cooking here and a 6 quart travel one that has a locking lid. I chose the lid locker because I didn't want to listen to the lid bob around on top.

Quarter one small, sweet yellow onion and line the bottom of the pot with it.

Hello there little ladies...ready to get spruced up for the big party?

I felt bad but I had to violate the cavity with garlic cloves. It was for the good of the dish, so I think I'm forgiven.

Run your fingers under the skin to loosen it up so you can add spices to it.

I did two different spices under each one since we were having one last night and the other tonight. First I went with cumin to give a Mexican flavor for quesadillas tonight.

Monday, February 20, 2012

I swear I barely had enough strength to lift my camera to take pics of my food today. I am so sick that I can barely function. If I could curl up in a ball and cry all day, I would've. The facial pain, the headache, the ear pain, the chest congestion, the hacking, hearing my own heartbeat in my head...it all sucks. I wanted to do so much more today than I did and I can't thank the Mr for all he has done to take care of me while I've been feeling bad. (He should, he gave it to me. The scallywag. *wink*)

Let's eat...

Breakfast was a bowl of Fiber 80 with skim milk, a banana with nutella and green tea.

Dinner was cornish game hen and italian home fries with onions. Don't worry my lovelies, the recipe is coming soon! ;-)

Night time snack was a twofer because while there was a good amount of meat on the hen, the Mr and I were both hungry not long after. So we had a kettle corn (not pictured) and a skinny cow ice cream sandwich.

Calories for the day, 2051. Exercise was switched to a hike in the gushy woods and I burned 720 calories. If ever there was a day I was going to skip exercise, it would've been today. Seriously, I have never been in such horrific pain due to illness in a loooong time. I refused to let it break my almost 3 year exercise streak. Unless I'm in the hospital, I will always do something!

This was one weird weekend. Well, busy I guess between our shopping marathon and my chest cold (flu?). There’s this antique show that likes to roll into town every month and it’s the same people but I don’t know I guess you just see if your luck changes or their merchandise does. There are all kinds of things you’ll stumble upon from the weird to the wicked.

As tempting as that is, I think I'll keep ours.

I had to take a pic because this reminded the Mr and I of our friend at JensJourney.com.

I desperately fell in love with this turtle for no good reason. Don't even like turtles. I made the mistake of waiting and he was gone. Noooooooooo!

Saturday, February 18, 2012

The Mr says I'm not eating enough. I made a conscious effort to cut calories the past month or so and what has it gotten me? Nothing. Matter of fact, you know when I hit the 200 lbs lost mark originally? Christmas Eve. Yep, almost 2 solid months ago. When did I cut my calories? January 2nd after we got back from Chicago. When did I lose 2 lbs in a week during that time? When my calories were the highest for that week.

His calories are consistently higher than mine by quite a bit so maybe he's on to something. All I know is I'm friggin' SICK AND TIRED of hovering around the 300's. Of course my first instinct is to do some stupid fad crap or to severely cut my calories but I refuse to give in to that way of thinking. If I logically think about it, not only did I burn 4350 calories but that doesn't include what it takes just to keep this machine hummin' and our workouts are HARD. I mean hello, if an hour of Tae Bo doesn't cut the mustard anymore and I'm pushing myself to still burn 800-1000 calories per cardio then I'm pushing like I haven't pushed before.

So I shall give this a go and see what happens knowing that it takes a solid 3 weeks for my body to register results and pray that God, the universe, Mother Nature or whatever deity it takes is going to reward me for my hard work and fueling my body properly. I'll keep on the water and dammit even if Aunt Flo is scheduled for a visit next week I am going to do everything humanly possible to reclaim my 200 lbs lost title. At this point, it's a mental boost I desperately need.

Friday, February 17, 2012

What a day. I fear I have a cold trying to come on. I feel like I always have a cold. I just had one over Christmas, WTH? All I know I'd BETTER not have one in Hawaii because I was sick for every friggin' vacation I took last year... San Fran, Memphis and Chicago. I mean seriously, what karma God did I piss off? Apparently the one who is making my face flush right now. Better get to the eats.

Breakfast was 2 servings of Fiber 80 cereal with 4 oz of skim milk, a 3.4 oz banana with 1 tbsp of almond butter (which I think I'm over) with a hit of pumpkin pie spice and 8 oz of green tea in my Woodstock Groundhog Days mug. (Woodstock IL is where Groundhog Day was shot)

The Mr was teleworking today and when I say teleworking, I mean WORKING. The poor nugget just was not able to even leave his laptop so I made him a special lunch. 4 oz of whole wheat penne tossed with 1 tbsp of olive oil, garlic powder, bacon and parmesan cheese. Salad with some added spinach and 1 1/2 tbsp of Creamy Italian dressing (blech) and half a grapefruit with his fancy new grapefruit spoon. He was quite appreciative.

My lunch was tuna "tacos" (1 can of tuna, 2 tbsp Miracle Whip Light, scallion and a hit of white pepper) in little gem lettuce leaves. Raw veggies with 1/2 tbsp french onion dip, golden delicious apple with apple dip, fruit salad with watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple and not only white but red grapes too! Watch out y'all red and white grapes living together in sin...it's anarchy! Finished off the last of the chocolate WhoNu's since I was out of apple bars and the standard iced tea.

Dinner had to change because I made the Mr pasta for lunch and I had pasta planned for dinner. He said it was fine but in that tone of "if I have to" so I switched it over to Mahi Mahi fish tacos (one his favorites) and brussels sprouts with bacon and garlic.

Snack was sugar free chocolate pudding with a few mini marshmallows on top. Hunts don't think I'm not on to you. I see you're putting less in there. The pudding used to kiss the lid, now I could measure a full inch down before hitting pudding. Jerks.

Calories for today were 1677 and no formal exercise because I hit my calorie burn of 4200 (actually 4350 I think) but I was up and about more than usual today. My average for calories this week was 1974.

The sore throat that has gotten progressively worse but isn't unbearable. I think the Mr has been kind enough to share his cold. Poopie-head. I'm kidding. Well I won't be if I can't taste tomorrow because we're supposed to try a new pizza place tomorrow night and that won't happen if I can't taste anything. Let's pray the witch doctor drink I had earlier does something to me overnight. If so, I'll post the recipe I got from a friend next week. If it doesn't, I'll just whine a lot.

I got nothin' so I'm just gonna type and see what comes out. You down?

When the Mr and I were out shopping yesterday, I picked up some crap I need for this project I'll likely regret. How's that for sellin' ya on it? I don't want to say what it is just yet because if it turns out like poo, I'll just forget I ever thought I could jump into the world of mod podge and carry on with my life.

The door guy came out yesterday and he was a nice guy. I commented to the Mr about how it was funny because I would say something and you could tell he wanted to let loose with a comment back and he kind of would but would stay very professional. I said something about one of the handles looking like the eye of Rah and he said "the Avalon?" without seeing it and we cracked up and he laughed but then went into how popular it is, etc. Another instance, I was looking at this glass door that had this big bushel of wheat etched into it. I said "so what happens when your obsession with wheat is over, can you just pop that glass out?" I could tell he wanted to bust out laughing but he went into why it couldn't be removed and such. I wanted to say "dude, loosen up. You're amongst friends here. I have no desire to be stuffy with you and treat you like I own you because I'm paying you money to provide a service." He told many stories of people who were finicky and demanding and they fixed everything so I get the feeling he just assumes most people are like that. I make a point not to be unless someone tries to dork me over. Then gloves are off. *jabs the air*

I bought a pair of jeans the next size down yesterday. I wouldn't go so far to say that's my new size because that pair just fits and the other pair I tried on fit but I feared if I sat in them, the button might fly off and be mistaken for a bullet when it ripped through whomever was unlucky enough to be standing or sitting across from me at the time. So for public safety I decided against that pair. I did try on the next size down in shirts and I'm pretty sure I heard an audible guffaw. Yeah, not there yet. I just like to check every now and then especially when my favorite pair of jeans is getting ridiculously big on me. Gotta love in between sizes.

I'm glad people seem to be liking the food posts. I've gotten positive feedback on them. I figured no one cared what I ate. I feel bad that the lunches look so similar but I have to have lots of fruits and veggies to keep my calories lower. Plus that's where I get the majority of them in. It's gotten me to at least not eat out of plastic since I know I have to photograph it! HA!

This weekend we're going to a Habitat for Humanity ReStore for the first time. Should be interesting! We're also going to an antique warehouse to see if we can find a chair for the desk that I can attempt to reupholster. I can't believe I just said that out loud.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

This morning we had to go get blood drawn at the lab so when we get our physicals, the doc can discuss the results with us. I have to admit, I'm freaking out about the cholesterol. I know given I've lost 200 lbs the odds are low that there's an issue, certainly much lower than they've ever been to this point but I don't want it to be suggested that I go on meds. I've seen more harm than good and I'm doing what it takes to lead a healthy lifestyle. So I'm praying it all comes back okay. I'll be a wreck until I know for sure.

Then I forgot "oh, the door guy comes today to measure!" Crap! But it didn't stop the Mr and I from shopping (he took a sick day since we had medical appts). I guess my favorite Avenue shop may be closing as they filed for chapter 11 and the writing is on that wall at that branch. Grrrr!!! That girl always took care of me too. Then it was off to Whole Foods to get some chia seeds, I got black barley on a whim, tofu noodles and cotswold cheese. We were going to get Vegenaise but holy hell that stuff is 90 cals per tbsp!! No thanks.

Anyhoo...here's what I put in the rum tum tummer today.

Breakfast had to wait until after the vampire fast but I had just what I told you I would because I've been obsessing over it. A cinnamon raisin english muffin with 1 1/2 tbsp of peanut butter and apple jam and a 3 oz nana. 8 oz of green tea too.

I knew I was going to be a little low on calories today (by choice because I thought this could happen) so we stopped by an ice cream shop we had a gift card for and got 4 oz of ice cream. Worth every calorie baby. Didn't even put me over for the week's average. No pic...it's in mah belly.

We were out a little longer than we should've been so I had to really shovel the food in and still didn't get it in before door man came so I finished up when he left. Do you know what mass quantities of fruits and veggies eaten at a fast pace does to your system? Let's just say I had the dude walk ahead of me coming up the stairs and prayed. I had 2 oz. of reduced sodium turkey on a multigrain slim from TJ's, 1 tbsp Miracle Whip light and 1/4 cup of spinach, the usual fruit salad, raw veggies w/ 1/2 tbsp french onion dip, golden delicious apple with apple dip and a TJ's apple bar. 13 oz of decaf iced tea. (Someone asked)

Night time snack was going to be a little more involved but I was feeling lazy so I grabbed a serving of WhoNu's. ("Now delicious is nutritious too...WhoNu!?" Sorry, had to be done)

Calories for the day, 2051. Calories burned via exercise, 1020.

I got some goodies from Sur La Table and an immersion blender and I'm gonna blend like I'm paid to do it baby! Also got a new laptop desk for my actual lap, you know so I can stop sunburning my thighs from the heat. No, I don't blog in the nude but the heat is penetrating my Hello Kitty pajamas!

Hope everyone had a good day. Feel free to share what you ate today in the comments!

For as long as I can remember, I've been a night owl and have always run on about 5-6 hours of sleep. As a kid, I begged to stay up late enough to watch the weather. It was over at 11:20pm then it would be up to bed because I'd sneak out of my room to watch if I wasn't allowed. I think I just wore my parents down on that one. So you figure I'd get to sleep by 11:45pm if I was lucky but closer to midnight. When I would get up for school to shellac my hair in aqua net and apply my war paint, I would get up between 6:30-6:45am and be out of the house an hour later.

When I got married, my habits didn't change much. The Mr would be knocked out on the couch by 10pm (nowadays it's between 9:30-10pm because he's a wuss. HA!) and I would be heading up to bed at midnight. It's still that way. We get upstairs and he goes right back to sleep while I need to have the Golden Girls on as my nightly ritual. I typically turn the tv off around 12:30am and I get up at 7am when he's done in the bathroom. So I get at least 6 to 6 1/2 hours of sleep per night If I get 8 hours on the weekend. I'm totally screwed. I feel horrible, my back will hurt, I feel more tired than if I got 6 hours of sleep and I just feel like crap all day.

It's hard not to see the articles all around you touting how you need to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night for your body to lose weight. But is an hour or 90 minutes really that far off that it could have a negative impact on my weight loss? I've visited this subject before but I just cannot get into gear to get to bed earlier. It's hereditary I think because my mom is the same way. I want to try this but I find if I go to bed when I'm not tired I sit there thinking, my mind starts racing then I end up with insomnia because I can't shut my mind off.

Has anyone purposely slept longer to aid in weight loss and saw success or did your weight stay the same?

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

I had some big plans for my chicken cordon bleu burger leftovers so I had to plan my day meticulously which included nixing meat for lunch. I guess subconsciously I wanted to make sure we had a big dinner because we have to fast tomorrow morning for blood work for a routine physical. Which I haven't had in well, that's another blog topic. Let's eat!

Breakfast was a cinnamon raisin english muffin with 1 1/2 tbsp of Better N' Peanut Butter, a 3 oz banana and 13 oz of green tea. I've gotta say I'm dying for some Jif and apple jelly on one of those babies and I might just have it tomorrow or Friday so I don't start obsessing. Nothing like when your breakfast makes a happy face.

Lunch is where I had to cut back on the protein so it was veggie brown rice and 2 tbsp Trader Ming's General Tsao's sauce. The usual cut veggies (cauliflower, broccoli, radish and celery) with 1/2 tbsp french onion dip, a golden delicious apple with 2 tbsp of apple dip (which might be cut or cut back to 1 tbsp depending on the scale this week), fruit salad of the usual (watermelon, cantaloupe, white grapes (when they're clearly green) and pineapple) and my Trader Joe's (hereon out referred to as TJ's because I'm lazy) apple bar. Iced tea is mandatory to break up the water consumption which was pretty crappy until I started chugging just before lunch.

Dinner was something I'd been looking forward to all day. A plate o' whole wheat spaghetti, a hybrid sauce (1/2 cup of meat sauce which is super high in sodium but I cut it with 1/2 cup of TJ's low salt marinara and split it between us so it can still taste indulgent but with half the sodium!), plop one of those leftover chicken cordon bleu or in this case, chicken cordon asiago patties in the middle and it's like the best meatball you've ever had! Sooo yummy! Topped it off with 1 tbsp of TJ's parmesan/romano mix.

Night time snack was TJ's lite kettle corn

Calories for the day, 1894. Calories burned, 950.

Now time to get ready for our big appointment tomorrow. I wonder if I'll still have to use a butterfly needle. Probably. Still have those "deep veins" ya know!

This isn't so much of a recipe as it is a declaration of my love for our new favorite weekend meal. I love Hawaiian sweet bread. I mean, seriously. It would be considered an affair if the Mr. wasn't aware of it. The airy, pillowy texture with the slightly sweet flavor is the perfect compliment to most anything. Whether you sandwich it with pork, chicken, beef or even something as mundane as peanut butter...it can take the every day to a higher level. This our new favorite higher level...

Take a King's Hawaiian dinner roll and about 2 oz of beef roast that has been going in the crock pot simmering with hickory liquid smoke. The house will smell heavenly and you will be a hero in your own home. Add some caramelized onions, which is a sweet, velvety ode to perfection on its own. Top with your favorite BBQ sauce which for us is K. C. Masterpiece Hickory Brown Sugar and is the perfect blend of sweet and smoky to slightly cut the sweetness of the bread and onions.

It's not the most low cal thing you'll ever have but 2 are more than enough to fill you up if you throw a healthy side with them. They can easily be fit into your calories for the day if you plan correctly. I hope you fall in love with them as much as we have.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

I came downstairs to the Mr with a playful smile on his face pulling out my chair at the dining room table to a breakfast he made me so we could eat together. (He's usually finishing up by the time I come down)

Breakfast was Thomas Triple Health English Muffin, 2 slices of Land o Frost Deli Ham, an egg and a slice of American cheese. (I haven't made it like that in a long time and it was yummy!) Plus a banana for some fruit. It was nice to be able to eat together and to have a meal prepared for me for once! Thanks honey!

Mid-morning "snack" was the equivalent to an Hershey's miniature Special Dark as I was dipping the Mr some strawberries for his lunch tomorrow. Eating with the Mr was about 2 hours prior to when I usually eat and I was getting SOO hungry by mid-morning I just could NOT resist the chocolate sticking to the spoon so I recorded it like a good girl! :-)

The note read "everyday's the 14th" as the song blasted. Are we made for each other or what?

Dinner was the wonderful chicken cordon bleu burgers I made a few weeks ago but I subbed 1/3 of an ounce of asiago and added caramelized onions and 1 tbsp bbq sauce with spicy sweet potato fries. T'was yummilicious.

Our special Valentines Day dessert will be the cuppy cakes I made yesterday (which by the way were a HUGE hit at the Mr's work. His boss doesn't even eat sweets and he had two!). I'll top the Mr's with a chocolate dipped strawberry for an extra special treat for him.

Calories for the day: 2150. Did a double workout to burn 1070 calories to accommodate the cupcake.

Now time to watch In Time with Justin Timberlake and pray it doesn't suck, then watch the season premiere of Cougar Town on DVR. (Can I get a "penny caaaaaaaaan" from the few people who get the reference?) Then Dream House with Daniel Craig if the Mr can stay awake that long.

Happy Valentines Day everyone! Or if you're a V-day hater...screw that stupid Hallmark holiday! (I like to cover my bases.) We're never really set in how we celebrate, if we choose to celebrate. Given how much I've run the Mr. ragged over the past 6 weeks, I think the best Valentines gift I can give him is the gift of rest. Nothing planned, nothing that needs painted or done after a long day of work, just a dinner of chicken cordon bleu burgers, rent a few flicks (Dream House and In Time...no chick flicks) and have our traditional treat...old school homeroom cupcakes.

There is something about the light white cake dyed pink with vanilla buttercream and of course imperial cinnamon candies just like you'd have for elementary school parties while waiting with baited breath to see if that boy you have a crush on put a valentine in your shoebox valentine caddy. You could always tell if they liked you as a friend if you got the one that said "you're tops" over "be mine."

Plus I like the idea that a bunch of grown manly men are going to be walking around the Mr's work today carrying pink cupcakes.

The recipe was simple. But first I must point out what is on the back of the box...

I mean really, I'm not going to pour it down my gullet but telling me to not eat raw cake batter that's like telling a drowning man to ignore the buoy to his left. Anyhoo...

The Duncan Hines white cake mix required 3 egg whites which was a plus but it called for 1/3 cup of oil and I of course subbed out unsweetened applesauce for the oil. I added a few drops of red food coloring for the pretty pink hue and added 1/4 cup of white chocolate chips. I baked 12 cupcakes at a time for 19 minutes. I've got the nutritional info for the cupcake base alone for a total of 24 cupcakes so that you can add whatever icing or topping you want.

I make it pretty clear to the Mr that it's the other gestures during the year that count, not the ones made today. You shouldn't have to have a day to tell others you love them and it shouldn't only be one day. So I asked if he would do one romantic thing for me per month and I wasn't going to tell him what so he'd have to use the noggin. I love that last thing he got me.

In the beginning of my DIY shenanigans, I commented one morning that I couldn't go to sleep for 3 hours because my mind was racing with all of the projects I wanted to do. I said I wished I'd had a notebook next to the bed so I could've written them down and gotten some sleep. Two days later, I got this mini notebook and pen for me to write down my projects.

It meant a lot he remembered that and I love checking things off the list when I finish them! I look forward to the next romantic gesture.

We don't usually decorate for the holiday but this year our house looks quite festive thanks to Layla at The Lettered Cottage. I won a giveaway for some Valentines Day banners and they arrived today (sadly after my cupcake shoot) so I put them up along the patio valance and fireplace.

Aren't they adorable?! I only had the point and shoot so it's a little dark but you can go to the post I commented on to see them in their properly lit glory.

So all in all, it's going to be a good day full of love, exercise, yummy food and movies. Just another Tuesday night in the SATW household!

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About Me

I've lost over 200 lbs the old fashioned way with some more to go. I'm doing this with my hubby (The Mr) and he has lost 190 lbs so far. I wanted to share my journey as well and give people with a lot of weight to lose hope that this can be done without surgery or cutting out entire food groups! Passionate about photography, cooking, traveling, DIY and anything 80's.

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